So I am wondering why I am no longer losing any weight. I had a baby 12 weeks ago and started doing gentle exercises and walking within 2 weeks. I have been following a moderate 4-6 days a week program of strengh training and cardio for two months now but I'm not longer losing. I don't use a scale, I use measurements instead and I haven't lost even a centimeter in weeks! I follow a very healthy diet and am eating somewhere between 16-1800 calories a day. I tried lowering my calories to 1500 but with the amount of training I am doing I was to hungry to stay at that for long. I am not sure what else to try. Any ideas to break this plateau? Oh, and I can tell I am getting stronger and fitter I just can't seem to lose any more fat.

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9 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceSo I am wondering why I am no longer losing any weight. I had a baby 12 weeks ago and started doing gentle exercises and walking within 2 weeks. I have been following a moderate 4-6 days a week program of strengh training and cardio for two months now but I'm not longer losing. I don't use a scale, I use measurements instead and I haven't lost even a centimeter in weeks! I follow a very healthy diet and am eating somewhere between 16-1800 calories a day. I tried lowering my calories to 1500 but with the amount of training I am doing I was to hungry to stay at that for long. I am not sure what else to try. Any ideas to break this plateau? Oh, and I can tell I am getting stronger and fitter I just can't seem to lose any more fat.

You will have to lower your calories - the only reason if one is not losing weight, is because you are eating enough calories not to lose.

Maybe try again to lower your calories to 1300 or so, just make sure that the type of food that makes up those calories are filling and nutritious, e.g. vegetables and lean protein, with some healthy fat, and wholegrains, low-fat dairy, fruit and legumes in moderation.

Also, space out your calories evenly throughout the day to combat hunger.

Finally, your body will eventually adjust to the lower calories - it is normal to feel starving initially for the first week or so. After that the hunger won't seem so overwhelming any more.

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Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceYou will have to lower your calories - the only reason if one is not losing weight, is because you are eating enough calories not to lose.

Maybe try again to lower your calories to 1300 or so, just make sure that the type of food that makes up those calories are filling and nutritious, e.g. vegetables and lean protein, with some healthy fat, and wholegrains, low-fat dairy, fruit and legumes in moderation.

How do you know you've "plateaued"? Are you certain that's a fact? Did you have a complete physical exam before you started this journey of yours? Did you even bother to check how much gas you had in the tank before you ran out with the car keys? Are you chronicling your work through pictures, week to week, to capture the small changes that are happening to your body?

I ask these questions because I want you to succeed. I want you to win. Unfortunately, you are making it very tough on yourself if your only criteria for success is that bathroom scale.

If you're doing what you say, you are changing a lot and, its a crying shame you give yourself zero credit for your efforts.

Weight loss is about getting healthy & its hard to lose weight before that happens...

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Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceHow do you know you've "plateaued"? Are you certain that's a fact? Did you have a complete physical exam before you started this journey of yours? Did you even bother to check how much gas you had in the tank before you ran out with the car keys? Are you chronicling your work through pictures, week to week, to capture the small changes that are happening to your body?

I ask these questions because I want you to succeed. I want you to win. Unfortunately, you are making it very tough on yourself if your only criteria for success is that bathroom scale.

If you're doing what you say, you are changing a lot and, its a crying shame you give yourself zero credit for your efforts.

Weight loss is about getting healthy & its hard to lose weight before that happens...

An active, physicaly fit adult should NEVER lower their calories to that degree. Their body goes into starvation mode and will hang on to fat. You will start to lose briefly when you do that but you will lose muscle mass along with fat and that is exactly what I am trying not to do. If I lose my muscle mass my body will no longer burn calories as effectively. My BMR is app. 2100 calories a day so eating between 16-1800 is right where I should be. I think there is another underlying issue that I am not aware of and was hoping someone might have an idea of what that could be.

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Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceAn active, physicaly fit adult should NEVER lower their calories to that degree. Their body goes into starvation mode and will hang on to fat. You will start to lose briefly when you do that but you will lose muscle mass along with fat and that is exactly what I am trying not to do. If I lose my muscle mass my body will no longer burn calories as effectively. My BMR is app. 2100 calories a day so eating between 16-1800 is right where I should be. I think there is another underlying issue that I am not aware of and was hoping someone might have an idea of what that could be.

Yes I am certain that it's a fact. No I do not OWN a scale. I weight myself at my friends house once every few weeks. I ALWAYS go by a tape measure. I am not a newby to fitness and healthy eating. Something else has got to be wrong here because although I am gaining muscle my fat wont budge.

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Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceYes I am certain that it's a fact. No I do not OWN a scale. I weight myself at my friends house once every few weeks. I ALWAYS go by a tape measure. I am not a newby to fitness and healthy eating. Something else has got to be wrong here because although I am gaining muscle my fat wont budge.

I can quote many health experts that say that lowering one's calories to 1200 is perfectly safe and acceptable as long as those calories come from nutritionally dense foods and are not empty calories as from sugar.

And it is also still in order to lower it to that level despite exercising, unless you exercise a lot, such as running 10 miles a day.

The only thing that will happen is that you will go into a calorie deficit and lose weight - you will not go into a nutrition deficit, as you will have covered your nutritional needs.

Until you overcome your fear of lowering your calories you will not lose weight and will continue to look for other reasons why you are not losing.

I can also refer you to to societies that eat a very low level of calories (such as certain Japanese communities) and have amongst the highest longevity level in the world.

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Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceI can quote many health experts that say that lowering one's calories to 1200 is perfectly safe and acceptable as long as those calories come from nutritionally dense foods and are not empty calories as from sugar.

And it is also still in order to lower it to that level despite exercising, unless you exercise a lot, such as running 10 miles a day.

The only thing that will happen is that you will go into a calorie deficit and lose weight - you will not go into a nutrition deficit, as you will have covered your nutritional needs.

Until you overcome your fear of lowering your calories you will not lose weight and will continue to look for other reasons why you are not losing.

I can also refer you to to societies that eat a very low level of calories (such as certain Japanese communities) and have amongst the highest longevity level in the world.

Hi Have you tried cycleing your calories go as low as 1400 one day up to 1800 then down to 1500 up to even 2000 then down again to 1400 the average caloriea on a weekly basis is what counts not the daily calories when there is cycleing of calories it keeps the body guessing ... and helps the metbolism stay up going too low can get it stuck ... hope this helps Hugs Judy:)

Sw 247 Cw 149ish

remember the gold isn;t in the prize it is in the journey! life may not be the party we expected but while we are here we may as well dance!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Not losing an ounceHi Have you tried cycleing your calories go as low as 1400 one day up to 1800 then down to 1500 up to even 2000 then down again to 1400 the average caloriea on a weekly basis is what counts not the daily calories when there is cycleing of calories it keeps the body guessing ... and helps the metbolism stay up going too low can get it stuck ... hope this helps Hugs Judy:)

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